The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-30
A SHARP EYE ON FRAUDS.

A SHARP EYE ON FRAUDS.
Secret Service Men on the Alert to Prevent
limitations of Coins and Checks.
New York Mail and Express.
Not long since there appeared in the Mail and
Express, under the head of what Mrs. Grundy
Says" little paragraph to the effect
That a fashionable paper weight is made of pile of
imitation silver dollars tray.
The next day communication received
at this Office from Inspector Drummond, head of
the secret service division of the Treasury De-
partment for this district, asking for the source
of the information.
..You see," Mr.. Drummondd explained to a re-
porter, Il want to get at the thing as quickly rs
possible save the manufacturer expense
It will be necessary to seize all his stock and
implements and il he accumulates large stock
/ it might be serious loss to him."
You do not suppose. then. that the violation
of law was Intentionally
''Oh, no; it was probably mere ignorance or
carelessness. The law is explicit 1t provides
that any person who makes or has in possession
any imitation of United States coins or bars
may be punished by So, 900 fine and ten years
Imprisonment. That, you see, of course, in
cludes all such things the referred to in
the Mail and Express. And yet people seem to
have idea that they make what they
please in imitation of United States money.
Some years ago daily pictorial newspaper got
out plaque an advertisements, with repre-
sentation on it of several United States notes.
1t was a very fine piece of work, and when we
seized the stock-as, of course, we were COM
PEELED tot involved loss to them of S., 900
Generally the loss is not so heavy that. but it
often comes pretty hard upon the people who
have to pay it.
What do you do when you have reason to
suppose that there was an intention to violate
the law?"
THAT very seldom occurs; but whom it does
we prosecute ,hem. The extreme penalty is
So, 600 fine and fifteen years Imprisonment"
why was the law made SO strictp
THAT is not FOR me to say: my business ia to
execute it; but. perhaps, can illustrate. These
representations of bills would not deceive you
or me, any man of ordinary intelligence who
can read English; but suppose they are taken
down to the Battery and paimed off on some poor
immigrants who want to change European mon
ey for American. They don't know English. but
they can read figures, and when the piece of pa
per has the general appearance of money. and
has figures upon it, they will take it as quick as
genuine bill Hundreds of them have been
swindled in this way. The notes do not have to
resemble greenbacks. either. Plenty of this
business college money has been used in the
same way" turning to his album and showing a
large collection of samples of the imitation com
mercial paper and notes. once used freely IN such
institutions.
This album discloses some things which
not generally known to be violations of law.
Notices to 'cut this OUT" setting forth that the
advertisements when presented at SO and-so's
store will be worth 90 CENTS are offenses against
the statute. which provides tina. any person issu-
ing note to be used IN lieu of lawful money
for aless sum than 81 shall be liable to fine of
$500 and six months Imprisonment
Next to the people who advertise by picture
cards. cigar dealers seem to have the most
trouble ith the law. Thousands of cigar labels
have been printed with limitations of United
States notes, stamps or coins upon them, and all
these had to be confiscated. 1t has become
pretty generally known here among Autograph
and printers that the law is strict, and most
of them now before undertaking job about
which they have the least doubt, send to the
proper authorities for an opinion. In this way.
if the proposed design is illegal. they them
selves a large outlay. All lithcsraphers would
do well to adopt this plan.
Turning over the leaves of the album the
porter came upon certain blank checks issued by
private banking firms. What is the matter
with these2" he asked For answer Mr.. Drum
mond pointed to imitation of the check
stamp that used to be required all CONNER
eal paper of this sort. Il suppose" said ne,
that their customers had become used to the
look of the checks with the stamp on, and when
the law was passed that rendered the use of the
stamp unnecessary they HAD this imitation of it
kept on for this sake of uniformity"
Another advertising device is an imitation
postal card with the name and address of the ad-
vertiser. The issuers of some of these tried to
dodge the law by printing the stamp on the pos
tai card with cancellation marks upon it, but it
was found that the stamp was engraved and
printed first, and the cancellation marks put
afterward. AS the law forbids the engraving
printing of representation of stamps. this issue
was clearly illegal and might have put the
issuers in State prison for fifteen years
A most important feature of the secret service
work of late years has been the breaking up of
the system of issuing ''store orders to working
men by certain manufacturing firms and
porations in payment of wages. The firm has
company store" where groceries and other
household supplies are sold good profit. The
workmen, instead of getting their wages in
money. receive orders for so man dollars worth
of goods at this store. These orders, being
Issued by private parties 'in lien of money"
In contravention of the statute quoted above
and the secret service has been hard at work
putting stop to tffe practice for several years.
1t is now generally obsolete, much to the Joy of
the workngman. who gets real money for his
wages. and buys his groceries where he pleases.